


An Advantageous Agreement

by Nebelmeer



Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arranged Marriage, Billionaire Athos, Bored Milady, Both of them, Complicated Relationships, Emotionally Repressed, F/M, Slow Burn, at some point at least - Freeform, but someone wishes otherwise, complicated feelings, not properly an housewife, they are a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-15 10:36:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11804304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nebelmeer/pseuds/Nebelmeer
Summary: The billionaire Oliver d'Athos de la Fère needs a wife.The actress Anne de Breuil wants some peace.What could possibly go wrong?orMilathos modern AU, where a pre-nuptial agreement prevent them from having sex, but their house is big and Milady is bored.





	1. Anne de Breuil

**Note** : the original idea was elaborated with my dear friend Chiara after she read a post on Tumblr, I hope you'll enjoy the direction it will take, I'm not sure I will

 

 

“I want a wife, a trophy wife.”

Oliver d’Athos de la Ferè’s words echoed through the empty, but dark room, while his imponent silhouette was predominating on the edge of his office, on the last floor of the highest skyscraper of the city.

_I want a wife, a trophy wife_

For a moment it seemed the time had stopped.

Except it didn't.

The rain kept falling merciless, and yet the surrounding was silent, so silent that Remì would have almost believed his boss and himself were the last creatures alive.

Except they weren't.

“Are you even listening?”

The tone of the Forbes's sexiest caucasian CEO of 2015 was becoming each minute more _hostile_.

The paintings that had adorned his office in the past six months, those that were more expensive than Remi's home, that night seemed even more intimidating more than usual. Everything seemed more _frightening_.

And this didn’t help the poor underpaid assistant, while in that same instant his boss's eyes were staring at him. Then there was a clap of thunder.

“A trophy...” he asked hesitantly “Wife…?”  
“Yes.” the impotent, rich beyond almost everyone in the country, man confirmed with a nod “The Firm is expanding” he explained, “And I’m tired of paying an escort every time I have a social event.” After that Athos took a big breath, his tenseness was clear, so clear that it would have been clear to everyone, but he used his annoyed tone to dissimulate it “I _need a wife_ , Remì. I don’t care about a love-match, I just need a presentable female companion.”  
“And you want me to…”  
“Present me a list of candidates” Athos concluded, turning in his direction “The sooner, the better.”  
“As you wish Mr Athos.”

A couple of weeks later Remi was called again.  
This time Oliver d’Athos seemed more anxious than terrifying.

“Have you come up with some candidates?” he asked nervously, his fingers drumming incessantly on the desk “ _I don’t have all day_ , Mr Blacksmith.”  
“Yes,” Remi whispered clumsy before taking a step forward, giving him a folder. That folder contained pictures, pieces of information, documents, everything that might have been of interest about the candidates.  
“I’m listening, then” Athos replied opening it, slowly and uncertain.  
“It depends on what kind of presence you wish on your side, Mr Athos” his employee explained “The first candidate is called Ninon de la Roque, great beauty, extremely rich, good families connection, active in charity, beloved by the press. A local Kate Middleton.”  
“She seems perfect.”  
“She is” Remi agreed, but his boss immediately noticed that he wanted to add something “But..?” he asked encouraging him “She…” Remì started hesitantly “She doesn’t seem like someone willing to sustain the Firm's interests at any cost, not if your interests could damage one of her associations, one of her... noble causes.”  
“I see,” Athos said nodding, looking at the picture of the blonde. She really seemed hot, but this marriage was not for him, it was for the family, for the public image, so he snorted “The next one?”

“Marie de Rohan-Montbazon.”

“She’s friend of my family, it makes sense” he agreed suddenly smiling at Marie’s picture. Not that it was Remi’s business, but he and Marie had practically grown up together.

Same neighbourhood, same schools, same summer camps, same friends. He had even brought her to the prom one time and well he could still remember how beautiful she looked in her dress, and how much better she seemed without it. Life had divided them, but it would have been nice to have her as his wife.  
She was beautiful, intelligent and she knew him, she knew his World. He could have made a worse deal for a companion after all.

“I’ve already contacted her” Remi continued “She’s more than willing to become your wife and follow any instruction you could give her, say anything you want, support every stand you may consider to...”  
“But…”  
“But” Remi repeated “Her connections are _your_ connections. She would bring _nothing_ new to the Firm nor to you. Surely she knows how to behave, and would have no problem in organising parties, or interviews, or any kind of charitable event you wish, but..” he took a small pause “In your World family connections, as well as “friends”connections have a certain weight. Maybe it would be a good idea to find someone… new”  
“I see” Athos whispered, “Do you have a further suggestion?”  
“This candidate is… **particular** ” he hissed, Athos’s eyes on him and not on the folder, as they should have “Anne de Breuil.”  
“The actress?”  
“The actress.”  
“ _Why on earth should_ ** _I_** _marry an_ _actress_?” Athos asked nervously, even though his eyes suddenly searched for her picture in the folder. Wow, that woman was, _seemed_ …  
“She’s famous and beloved” Remì continued, and Athos suddenly felt the need to stop him “She’s an _actress_ , _not a businessman’s wife._ ”  
“She’s beautiful and charming.”  
“And…?”  
“ _She knows people_ ” the other replied “ _Influent people_. People that might be useful to _you_ , and to _your company_ , Mr Athos”.  
After some seconds of silence, he went on “And if you’re worried about the rest…She’s lived in Hollywood for a couple of years; surely she knows how to run a house, or how to organise a successful party, she’s unconventional, I agree, but…”  
“Do you believe she might be… **_interested_**?”

Athos found himself surprised by how _hesitantly_ he had said that last word.

Of course, a _childish_ , _spoiled_ , _little actress_ would have considered herself lucky _to marry a businessman, a billionaire, the new head of a great family, to marry… **him**_.

 ** _She had to be interested_**.

And yet, those green eyes in a strange and unexpected way **_intrigued_** him, and at the same time **_intimidated_** him.

She was **_peculiar_** , she had… something. But he was not sure _what_ that something _was_.

“I believe she could.” Remi said interrupting his thoughts “A source of mine says she’s tired of her current life style and desires some years of peace, away from the scenes away from her manager, Richelieu.”  
“Anne de Breuil” Athos repeated, still staring at her picture “You’re right. She **_is_** beautiful” he finished after a deep breath “Arrange a meeting.”

In the following days, he couldn’t stop **_watching, touching, devouring_** that picture. He tried not to, and it failed.

A week later he entered his office to find a strange _silhouette_ , but before he could emit a single sound, the silhouette turned, reviling the face of Anne de Breuil.  
“Mr Athos” she hissed sitting on his chair with a self-confidence that _destabilised_ him. At that moment Athos _did not even_ find the words to complain and simply sat in front of her.

 ** _That woman_** , Anne de Breuil, was _far better_ than how he had expected her to be, _far better than he had imagined_.

Her hair was falling on her back, her witty green eyes staring, studying every inch of his body, of his face. For the first time, he _was not_ the predator in the room, and he suddenly realised he actually _liked_ feeling that way, he liked feeling uncertain, the prey.  
“We are discussing a possible marriage,” he told her with a grin "I guess you can call me _Oliver_.”  
“I guess _not_ ,” Anne de Breuil replied with a fluent and yet captivating voice “Let’s keep things formal _for now_ , Mr d’Athos, or just Athos?”  
“Athos is fine, Miss Breuil” he strangely agreed, caught off guard “I believe my assistant has explained to you what I expect from you.”  
“He has,” the woman said with a nod “It was... **_interesting_** , **_stimulating_** I believe” she concluded, passing him an envelope.

“What’s this?”  
“Have a _look_.” Anne replied with a smirk “These are **_my_** requests.”  
“ ** _Your_** requests?”  
“ _I can be your trophy wife_ , _but_ _I won’t do that for free_ ” she added before standing up. Wow, Athos thought, now she looks **_even better_** , her black suit tight on her shape makes her look like a Goddess “Take your time, _Athos_ , 48 hours should fit, and then tell me whether my requests are acceptable.”

When she was already on the doorstep, he finally spoke again “Goodbye, _Miss de Breuil_.”  
“ _Goodbye, Mr Athos_ ,” she said with a smile on her face. “ _For now_.”

And against his better judgement, he realised _he was **smiling** too._

Anne de Breuil _could have been_ a reasonable choice after all.  
Marrying her _could have been_ a nice agreement after all.

_Anne d'Athos_

It didn't sound too bad..


	2. Until Death Do Them Apart

Before she knew it, before she had even the time to _process_ what she had done, what she had agreed to do, Anne found herself busy in choosing dresses, signing prenuptial agreements and ordering flowers for the wedding. Her wedding. Her wedding to a man she barely knew.

Not that she was… unhappy, or unsatisfied.   
Her future husband had agreed on all her terms and allowed her far more than she had ever imagined to, and still… something about him annoyed her, made her feel nervous.

She was not sure whether it was for his eyes, his big blue sad eyes, or for how shy he looked sometimes, or for how gentle his smile seemed when no-one was looking. Or maybe it was just for his dark side, so similar to hers, for how good he was at keeping everyone in line.

Everyone but her, obviously.

At the same time, there was something about him that made her feel… _overwhelmed_ , and _impotent_ , and  _paralysed_ , and _amused_. And _angry_.

Athos was… a gentleman, far more educated and charming than any other man in her life before, surely more than Armand or Sazarin had ever have been. And yet what she liked the most was how _arrogant_ he was. Athos believed himself to be above it all, and in a way he was, but not with her. She was his... ally, his equal. It was strange; they barely knew each other, and yet…Every time they spoke, every time they interacted… it was like a game. A game of want, and wanting, the best game the both of them had ever had, the best game they might have wished for.

Athos had this thing of pretending not to be impressed by her, while he was, and she knew he was, which made their arguing even more… intriguing.

And he was awesome, the more she tried not to think about it, the more she did.   
His cheekbones, Anne would have like to slap them so badly and so often, and that beard and those mustaches, those eyes. Oh, she had a weakness for those eyes, there were times she believed she would have said “ _yes_ ” to everything just for that gaze.

His eyes, his gaze… he was _magnetic_.  
And he held power over her.   
And she _didn’t like it_.   
And she _couldn’t help it._

It was the thought of those eyes that lead her to _his chambers_ the day of their wedding. She had no intention to, initially, but the noise all his relatives, her so oppressive bridesmaids, were making... God, they were _so annoying_. Anne could barely stand their presence, and besides that, they were so obsessed with themselves, their clothes, their Instagram accounts, so obsessed that they didn’t even notice her disappearance.

Athos didn’t see her coming; he rarely did.   
When she wanted she could move like a cat, invisible to everyone, even on her wedding day, even with those bulky curlers in her hair.   
Anne was gorgeous, radiant, perfect, Athos almost lost a beat the moment he saw her, reflected in the mirror in front of him.

“What are you doing here?” he exclaimed with a grin that almost looked like a smile, turning his head to meet her eyes, her small, green, wicked, mysterious eyes.   
“ _Athos_ ” she whispered as a salute, with a slight nod, a smirk on her lips.  
“It brings bad luck.”  
“If it was a true marriage…” Anne started taking a step in his direction, her hands reaching for his chest “Of course it would, but since this is merely a contract to help you and your company in social relations, I don’t think it is a problem.”

With an unreadable expression, Athos turned his face, just enough to meet her eyes. She looked so… Self-confident, more than he had ever been, and yet in her voice there was this slight tremor that suggested otherwise “These cufflinks…” she said with a smirk “…are dreadful, thank God’s sake I’ve got these” Anne finished, fixing his sleeves.  
“Do you realize I’ve paid a team of stylists to take care of my clothing?”

And at that moment she smiled.   
It was true this time, a genuine smile, not a smirk, not a mockery, but simply a smile, a gentle smile.

“I do” Anne whispered in return “And you… you’ve wasted your money” she finished taking a step back, admiring his figure “You look quite acceptable now.”  
“Should I thank you?”   
“You should” she replied to his tense tone.

Athos looked _adorable_ when he tried to avoid her gaze, or when he tried to escape her grip, in all senses. Then there were some moments of silence, neither of them willing to break that fragile truce. Eventually, Anne found the right words “….I’ve spent too much time helping you, now I should go to make myself acceptable.”   
“I’m sure this will not be much a problem” Athos hissed the moment his soon-bride-to-be was almost out of the door. There was admiration, interest, almost attraction in his tone. There was something about his future wife that intrigued him, Athos had known it the first time he had laid eyes on her, but now she knew it as well.“No, it won’t” she concluded before leaving that room for good.

The rest of the day followed at expected.

Anne smiled like a doll all day, she made the right jokes and bowed to the right people.

And she looked beautiful, stunning; he almost lost a beat seeing her entering the church. There was a light around her; she was magnetic and… hypnotic.

She had to be, Athos told himself, _that’s what I’m paying for_ , _that’s why I’ve chosen her in the first place_ , she has to be beautiful to make this… _advantageous agreement_ work. She has to be like that, but _nothing is real_ , nothing could ever have been real between them, he knew that.

She _was faking everything_ , every smile, very laugh, every gentle gesture.

She had to.  
He knew it.

And yet it bothered him. Not that it was the right time, nor the right place, but strangely it did.

And then there had been the vows.

They had made promised to each other, they had swore to stay together until death would have done them apart, to be faithful, to be there for each other.

And then there had been the kisses. He had kissed her. For the cameras, of course, and for the guests.

For show.

And yet… it had _felt good kissing her_ , good and… _draining_. She had this thing of pulling back just in time to annoy him, just in time not to give him what his body desired.

What Anne would have never said aloud was that strangely _she was longing for his touch as well_. When Athos had _placed_ his trembling hands on her hips, or the moment his long fingers have _caressed_ the cloth of her beautiful wedding dress, _she had felt something_ , something she couldn’t quite get.

Anne was confused, maybe even conflicted.   
Because she knew _feeling_ anything for him would have been wrong.  
Because she knew _what her contract demanded_.  
Because she knew she couldn’t allow herself even the slightest mistake.

She knew all of that, and she wasn’t even sure she actually _liked_ him.

She had known him for a short time, but what Anne de Breuil had understood about her new husband was that Oliver d’Athos de la Ferè was _selfish_ , and _impatient_ , and _rough_ , and _cruel_... sometimes. And yet he intrigued her more than it would have been wise. More flash, more pictures, it was not the right time to dwell on his charm, Anne reminded herself.

Then finally the day was over, and the happy couple retired to their private chambers. The press had had what they wanted, the guests had had what want they wanted, the people had had what they wanted, and the spouses had had what they wanted.

Probably.

“This would be the time for _consummation_ , wouldn’t it?” Athos asked suddenly as his new lawful wife was adjusting her nightgown, undoing the braid in her hair with a slow move. She looked gorgeous, the moonlight enlightening her face, her shoulders only partly naked. “It would,“ her voice hissed faintly with a smirk “But sadly for you, dearest husband, our arrangement _does not involve it_ ”  
“Sleep well, beloved wife” he exhaled as Anne was leaving him to reach the communicating room “You too, _Oliver_ ” she replied without turning, a small smile once again appearing on her lips.


	3. Who Is In Control?

“You like your role as queen of this estate” Oliver d’Athos dropped casually one night at dinner.

His wife, the woman that had been living with him months, the same woman that seemed _disturbed_ from his figure each time he entered a room, the same woman that had kept avoiding him day after day, that woman raised her eyes to meet his gaze. That question had _bothered_ her, he could almost _feel_ her irritation, her hostility but she was an actress, paid for a precise role, so she smiled gently in his direction “It’s comfortable. _I won’t deny it._ ”  
“Are you… happy?” Oliver asked hesitantly. She was so _difficult_ sometimes; he could feel _something was wrong_ but could not understand _what_. And this angered him, and intrigued him, enticed him, exited him. He was almost feeling the urge to understand her, to put all the pieces together.

She was intriguing, mysterious and he had to understand _why_.

“Satisfied…” she started drinking a sip of wine “…it’s a better definition, but yes I’m not complaining”  
“And you?”  
“Me?”  
“You brought a wife to achieve a _propose_.” she clarified moving back, settling on her chair, holding it like a throne “Do you _regret_ the choice you made, Oliver?”  
“Should I?”  
“It’s your place to tell, not mine” she answered calmly before standing up.   
His arrogance _unlocked_ something in her, it always did, but Anne could not tell whether it was a good or a bad thing.  
“The dinner is not over” he cried while she was walking away “Yes, it is,” Anne said with a smirk, Oliver d’Athos de la Fère could not _always_ have the last word.

“Stressful day?” Anne d’Athos, neè de Breuil, dropped casually some days after.

She had _this_ _way_ of talking to him with a superior tone, often reading a magazine in the meanwhile, avoiding his eyes and yet at the same time questioning him, _forcing him to talk to her, to open up to her_. But of course, he wouldn’t have, Anne was _almost a stranger_ , a stranger than lived with him, accompanied him to social events and with whom he had shared his house, but _still a stranger_. Still a mysterious woman, still someone who was _as brilliant as unreadable_ , still someone that had the strange habit of appearing from nowhere and… annoy him. Probably it was just that, probably he was just annoyed. She was just a necessary evil, he had to have her on his side, and he was _grateful_ for how good she was at being a trophy wife, at organizing parties, raising funds and pretending.

She was so much better than he was in that, she could _always_ find the _right words_ and the _right smiles_ with everyone, and she was also so… captivating.

Anne de Breuil had everyone’s attention every time she entered a room, and _he knew it_. Athos could always see how his _colleagues_ , his _competitors_ , and event the _help_ , looked at her.

_They wanted her. To touch her, to have her, to fuck her._

_But Anne de Breuil belonged with him_.

And he wanted them **_to know it_**. He wanted them to feel **_envious_** , and **_angry_** and **_frustrated_** because they would have never had her.   
His nemesis, Louis Bourbon would never have her, and _he was glad_.

“Oliver?”  
He turned in her direction, meeting her green eyes “You’re too anxious, dear.”  
“What do you mean?” Athos said dropping the coat and unfastening the tie.   
_If only he had known the effect that move had just had on his wife, Oliver d’Athos would have tried it a long time before._

“Call the office and ask for a day off” her voice whispered calm but firm, her figure approaching him with a frustrating slowness.   
“Day off? Me?” he replied astonished, Athos knew the woman he had married was a free spirit but he had never considered her naive, she had to know that her proposal was absolutely _absurd_ , he was in a **_certain position_** , he had **_responsibilities_** , the family and the **_company_** , both on his shoulders.

Anne _had known_ this the moment she had agreed to become his wife and yet now she was looking at him with a light in her eyes, he could rarely see that _light_ in her, she almost looked a child on Christmas’Eve.

Except for the fact that she was Anne de Breuil and those words sounded like a threat “ _You_ ” she confirmed taking a step closer “Do it. _Now_ ”

And without he knew it Athos had taken his phone and called his secretary, annulled _everything_ had been planned for the following day “And now?” he asked after some seconds, a small smile appearing on his lips, he had never known someone more stubborn than Anne de Breuil, not that it bothered him, not really.

“Go to sleep, see you tomorrow” she whispered in the crock of his neck, her lips so close that she might easily have left a kiss on his neck, her hair and her smell _almost inebriating him._  
“Would you stop ordering me around?” he hissed, his hands falling on her side “Would you, _Anne_?”  
“No,” she said moving aside, leaving him there alone.

Alone and breathless.

“Where are we going?” Athos asked several hours later, while his less expensive limousine was bringing him and his wife to some unknown location.   
“Anne…”  
“Somewhere you can lose control” she whispered with an adorable smirk   
“Now, dear Anne, you’re telling me where we’re going. I am the CEO of a multinational, there are people who _need to contact me_ , to know _where I am_ , constantly, I have responsibilities, it’s **_my duty_** to…”  
“Bullshit”  
“Bullshit?”  
“Bullshit.” she repeated literally taking his phone from him “They can manage one day without you.”  
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, you..” he said leaning on her to have his phone back “ _Mrs d’Athos_ ” he warned her, but Anne managed to hide it in time.   
“I told you,” she whispered “You need to relax.”  
“Anne…”  
“Stop thinking” she hissed giving a small kiss on his temple.

There was an awkward and embarrassing silence.

She wasn’t supposed to do that, _she_ _shouldn’t have done that_ , but he had been so close and had looked so _vulnerable_ , annoyed and confused.

“But..”  
“Athos… stop complaining,” Anne said separating from him and adjusting her shirt “It makes you less interesting.”  
“Does it?”  
“We've arrived” she replied embarrassed, avoiding his gaze and practically jumping out of the limousine.

“Base Jumping? Is this your amazing idea?” Athos asked once he had seen the place his lovely wife had brought him.   
“Shut up.”  
“You can’t tell me to shut up” he replied with a smirk, almost amused.

_Bossy Anne was his favorite version of the woman he had chosen to be his wife._

“Yes, I can,” she said passing past him, leading the way to the edge of the bridge.  
“You can't tell me what to do,” he said following her.  
“I can and I will,” the woman said firmly “Shut up and prepare yourself now.”  
“I’m not doing this”  
“Yes, _you are_.”   
“Why would I?”  
“Because your wife commands you to,” Anne said raising her eyebrow angrily, and as a result, he smiled at her “Fine.”

Some minutes later Mr and Mrs d’Athos were ready to jump.

“Are you really sure you want to do this?” Athos said looking down at the river   
“Yes,” Anne said smiling “You have faced worse than this, Oliver. _Don’t act like a child._ ”  
“I don’t!”  
“You do” Anne insisted one last time “Don’t be a coward,” she said finally before jumping, then Oliver rolled his eyes and followed her.

It was **_panic_** at first, then he felt the urge to scream and really felt **_fear_** and **_terror_** , and yet he felt also alive, maybe for the first time in years, it felt **_inebriating_** , the pure **_adrenaline_** running through his veins.

Then as it had started it finished, Athos felt the calm coming back to him even though the could still feel the eagerness to fly, he felt as though _everything could have been possible._

That’s what adrenaline is then, he thought, laughing uncontrollably.

When the instructor brought him back to the edge of the bridge, he finally looked at Anne. She had still that _light_ in the eyes, he had never seen something more beautiful, and he smiled at her.

Then Athos heard the noise of the flashes.

“Have you called the press, darling?” he asked with a smirk, getting rid of the harness   
“No” Anne replied doing the same “Have you?”

“The sexiest couple of 2017!” A journalist screamed, and at that moment Anne and Oliver both laughed “Do you think we should give them what they want?” the woman asked with a feeble voice. It was meant to be a _joke_ , a stupid ironic joke and yet after some seconds Athos moved his head closer to his wife’s, and Anne stayed there, frozen.

Not that they hadn’t kissed before, but strangely this time his breath so close made her feel **_nervous_** , and **_excited_** , and **_afraid_**.

She was feeling confused, and she hated it, then her husband leaned in with a slowness that she found _terribly frustrating_ , their foreheads almost touching.

Then Athos lips brushed hers; she almost felt the urge to pull away, to stop that before it would have been too late, what she didn’t know was that it was already too late.

She was no longer thinking _clearly_ , the only thing she cared about at that moment was how good his lips tasted, how comfortable and exciting his mouth was, before she knew it she had clasped her hands on either side of his face, pulling him closer, their bodies pressing against each other, his arms embracing her, the adrenaline growing inside her.

_The damage was made._

_She wanted more._   
_She wanted something she would have never had._

“Do you think that’s enough?” she asked separating from him, finding finally some _sense_.

It is right, Anne thought, I can’t want this, _I can’t want him_ , that’s not what we have agreed and if there was something Anne de Breuil knew was that not following the rules was _potentially destructive_. Especially with her, and Oliver didn’t want her in any case, _he didn’t care_. Her husband might _respect her_ , but that was far from feeling any kind of…

“It’s enough” he whispered after some seconds “Shall we go now Anne?” he asked then, a slight but evident anger in his voice.  
“Yes” Anne hissed with a sad tone and then Athos did the unexpected, took her hand and slowing _interlacing his fingers in hers_ , a gentle move, for the benefit of the cameras, of course, she wasn’t so naive to believe otherwise, she wouldn’t be, and yet Anne could almost feel her heart racing _._

**_What has he done to me?_ **

She asked herself while her husband was leading her to their limousine.

**_What has he done to me?_ **


	4. There Is One Rule

“I want to have access to the Company.”

Anne said casually some hours later at dinner.   
Her husband _had kept trying to avoid her_ during the last hours; he hadn’t said a single word during their whole trip back home.

“ ** _What_**?” Athos asked shocked the moment his wife interrupted their dinner with that strange request.  
“I’m bored” she explained, “And I’ve studied your business plan.”  
“Have you?”  
“I have a Ph.D. in Business administration.”  
“A Ph.D.?” he asked impressed “ ** _You_**?”  
“Thank you for being so surprised, _my love_.”  
“I just…” he exhaled perplexed “Why have you become an actress then?”  
“It’s a long story.”  
“Short version?”

Anne rolled her eyes then. He hadn’t asked her in months, and now he suddenly was feeling _the urge to know about her past_ , “I needed money, and apparently, you boys appreciate my…” she hissed “ _Shape_.”

After that there was silence, a tremendous silence and Athos forced himself to lower his eyes.

“What? Are you saying you don’t?”  
“No, it’s not that, Anne no you surely are…”  
“I surely am…” she repeated smirking biting her lips. She adored seeing her husband so… _embarrassed_.   
“What have you in mind?” he asked recognizing her devious expression.  
“Nothing”  
“There is the help” he reminded her and Anne had to laugh in return “Tell them to turn, then”  
“Anne…”  
“ ** _Turn_** ” she commanded in his place “ ** _And leave_** ”  
“Leave” he confirmed when the butler looked at him, seeking his approval.

Whatever problem his wife would have liked to cause, it would have been better for them to _stay away._

Anne smiled, her soft lips smirking as she was standing up and moving in his direction. It took her _ages_ to sit on his lap; she could almost sense how _frustrated_ her husband was as she was slowly adjusting to his body, her fingers playing with his shirt.

“There is one rule. You have to stay still.” she warned him “ ** _Do not touch_**.”

It was just a whisper, a _gentle whisper_ , and yet, said from her it sounded like a _deadly threat_. Anne could almost smell his excitement, how her scent made him react, how his body was responding to hers, his eyes popping open and wide.

She had him, and she knew it. He might have confused her that day, she might have lost control at a certain point, but now she had regained it.

_Anne had the upper hand, again and she was glad._

Athos, on the other hand, was feeling _all the control he had ever had slipping away,_ the room started to spin around him, all he could see were those witty green eyes, Anne was too close. His wife was too close, her lips were too close, and for maybe the first time since their arrangement had started, he asked himself whether he would have been capable of resisting her, or whether he would have broken that particular but fundamental clause.

“ _Anne_ …” he gasped trying to contain himself, but Anne had to provoke him further. In a moment her index finger reached his lips, a part of him wanting to suck that finger, the other part of him fearing to disobey her.

“Have you understood the rule?”

Anne was asking for the last time, and he knew it, he had to nod now, and so he did, trying so hard to calm down his breath and the embarrassing beating of his heart. She had him, and he knew it.

“Anne…”  
“ _Have yo_ u?”  
“Yes”

Anne’s hands slipped along her white shirt, letting the button lose, as her husband swallowed.

When the white shirt revealed her bra and especially the embroidery of **_forget-me-nots_** Athos felt a _shiver_ in his back.

She had a thing for those flowers, he had always known and yet now seeing her playing with her underwear, and her shirt reaching for the _first button_ , and then _the second_ and _third_ , playing with it before popping it open..it was magnetic, she was magnetic.

Then Anne started toying with his shirt too, her finger finding his naked skin far too soon and Athos gasped at her, incapable of resisting that.

He gasped again, her hips swaying and the smirk on her lips, she was being **_cruel_** , but he had to stay still that was a rule Anne had been clear about so he took a big deep breath, but after a while, he moaned “ _Anne_ …”

She left a moist kiss on his neck, exasperating him “Oh my God…” he hissed, incapable of stopping those words, still speechless before that scene. Not long after Anne untied her braid, her long brown hair fell on her shoulders, and all he wanted then was to break all that stupid rule, but he didn’t.

Anne’s fingers slipped through Athos’s, lifting his head, their foreheads pressed together, their breath mixing, their gaze finding each other, their lips so close that they could feel each other warmth.

And it was too much, Athos fought with himself _trying to resist_ , and he failed. Before he knew it his left hand had reached her hip and touched it in a way that was very difficult to misinterpret.

And then the slap came, and his hand was torn away   
“There was just one rule…” Anne explained with a smirk, amused.

With a couple of movements, she got definitively rid of her shirt and leaned on him, pressing her body on his, her breasts against his chest, her hands on his neck.

Then she had an idea. He had still his tie on, a tie which could have proven to be useful in a blink. She had warned him once; she had _an infinite reserve of creativity_. She fumbled with her tie then, binding it tightly around his wrists.

“You had been warned, _Oliver_.”

_He then was lost._

Completely lost in those green eyes, tied up, humiliated, helpless and filled with desire as she was, but aware that he couldn’t allow himself to actually… but _Anne was in charge, she had him, and she could have done whatever she wanted with him at that moment. And he would have been fine with that._

Athos stared at her and felt the **_physical urge to kiss her_** , deeply, to taste her again, _to fell her tongue in his mouth,_ but **_it was not up to him_**.

His wife smiled, he had finally understood the rule, after that she moved her hands on his thighs, enjoying his frustration, she could **_feel_** how much Athos would have liked to be the one stroking the fabrics of her skirt and pulling it along to her hips, how badly he would have like to take care of her underneath. Athos _moaned_ in frustration, and Anne laughed, his heart was racing, and her fingers were tracing his chest.

“Anne…”  
“You’ve broken the rules, _Oliver_. You shall call me _Milady_ now.”   
“Please…” he begged, and at that moment Milady pushed herself away from his lap, leaving him in complete frustration “ _Milady_ , _I_ …”

Athos gasped for air, wondering if he would have died like this, and realizing that it might not have been the worse way to go.

It was too much; his body was about to collapse, his sense _craving for her touch, craving for relief._

“ _Please_ …” he begged again with closed eyes, inhaling the scent of her wife’s body.  
“Please what?” She whispered leaning on him once again, her hair and her breast on him “ _Please_ …”  
“What do you want, _Oliver_?” Milady asked with a whisper in his ear “ _Tell me_.”  
But he stayed silent, overwhelmed and shocked, looking for permission to even speak in her presence.  
“What do you want, _Oliver_?” she insisted, finding suddenly grip on his neck, squeezing it just enough to see him gasping, again. “ ** _Do it_** …” he begged exasperated “ _Do it, please_.”  
“What?”  
 _“Whatever you want.”_

Milady’s or maybe Anne’s fingers captured his face, pulling him closer, their breath so close that could hardly be distinguished.

_But she didn’t kiss him._

“I… have a degree in Philosophy Politics and Economics, a Master in Financial Analysis,” Anne said letting him go “And a Ph.D.”  
“In business administration, I remember,” he said with a slight nod, “And you want to work for me.”  
“ _I want to work with you, not for you_ ” Milady clarified standing up and walking away.  
“What do you want to do?”  
“ ** _Whatever I like, however, I like it,_** ” she said one last time “I didn’t marry you just because you’re awesome, _Oliver_. Think about it” she concluded, leaving her bra behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was inspired by this amazing Clexa fan fiction https://archiveofourown.org/works/8527567/chapters/20081887


	5. Couldn't Agree More

“Tomorrow there is a charity event.”

“I remember,” Anne remarked with raising the eyebrows “I’ve already prepared your speech and mine.”  
“I hate speaking in public” Oliver d’Athos de la Ferè replied as his wife was moving to the window, her thoughts clearly not focused on that conversation, her eyes closed, her mind probably absent.

Not this was a surprise. She had been… **_distant_** , lately.

After that strange day they had spent together, after the base jumping, and after that even stranger night, after she… had _exposed_ her particular _proposition_...

“You are the CEO of a great industry, _Oliver_ ” she hissed calmly, there was almost a slight disappointment in her voice “I _doubt_ you have a choice.”  
“And _you_ , on the contrary…” he said standing up and reaching tentatively towards her, a strange tone in his voice “… _you_ have done it all your life, haven’t you?”  
“Not all my life but yes, I’ve been..” Anne hesitated feeling his presence behind her. She hesitated then, looking for the right word to use “… _practising_ quite a lot.”

She could now clearly distinguish his breath on her shoulder, and Anne wondered **_what game was he playing_**.

One thing was when _she_ was the one _breaking the rules_ , but her husband? That was almost… _unheard of._ If the months they had spent _together_ , _living under the same roof,_ had taught her something, was that he _always_ needed to defy things, to follow _well-defined rules_ , to _know_  that he was doing the right thing, to know that _his words meant something_.

He had _always_ felt like _he was carrying the world on his shoulder_ , growing up as the _male heir_ of the “De la Fère” had always been a _curse_ to him, and yet Athos had always known that there was _no way out_. It was _his destiny_ , _his duty_ , _his purpose in life._

Anne had always known that, and surprisingly, _she had always admired him for that._

For that, and for his rules, especially **_that rule_** , the one that _forbade_ any kind of _intimate relations_ between them.

He had once said it was a… **_necessary security measure_**.

_And she couldn't agree more._

Athos was right; he had always been right, she could not afford herself to _fall_ for him, to… _want_ him, to feel _attracted_ to him, or even worse to… _develop feelings_ , to _care_ for him.

_And yet she was feeling the control she once held so firmly, slowly slipping away._

Then he leaned on her, _gasping for air_ , _inebriated from her intoxicating smell._

"Oliver..."  
"Milady..."

He replied, doing what she was not expecting, moving her hair off her shoulder, leaving a _slow_ and _moist_ kiss on her skin.

“Or is it _Anne_ now…?”  
“Both” she whispered, raising up the chin “But I have other… qualities.” the woman continued opening her eyes, turning and meeting her husband’s. Their breaths were so close that it was almost difficult to distinguish between them, their lips so close that it would be very easy, _too easy_ , to break that fundamental rule “I’m sure _you_ remember” she concluded, staying still, right in front of him, _incapable of interrupting that strange point of connection_.

“I do” he replied with a smirk, separating abruptly from her.

When he did, Anne suddenly realised she had been _trembling_ the whole time. She could barely stand still, her knees still _weakened_ by his presence.

**_He had done this to her._ **

Oliver had done this to her, but at least _he had had the sense not to go through with it_ , Anne was almost sure _she wouldn’t have had the strength to stop him that time._

“Anne?” he called her ages later, eager to get her attention one more time “You start tomorrow, let’s see if your arrogance is... _justifiable_.”

And then he left, leaving her wanting **_more_**.

 

_In all senses._


	6. Circles

A couple of months went by, a couple of months where Athos’s wife, _Anne_ , proved herself to be a quite stimulating resource for the Pinon Corporation.  
Her husband was impressed, he had tried not to be, but she had something in her. Anne was _special_. She was not just competent, intelligent; she also had a charisma that could not be taught. She was _magnetic_ , and every competitor seemed intrigued. In those months Athos realised that the day he had married the actress Anne de Breuil he had acquired so much more than just trophy wife. She was a _partner_ , someone he could rely on, someone who wanted to help him, someone who was was willing to carry the burden of leading with him.

And it was _nice_. Having her around all the time it strangely felt _good_ , _reassuring_ and _comforting_. Athos soon realised he liked that, _he liked her._

His friends also started to notice a change in his behaviour, a more _positive_ attitude, a more… relaxed way to interact. One day his oldest friend, Porthos du Vallon, the only son of his family most beloved maid, brought the topic up.

“Your wife is doing a good job. Rumours say she’s **_better_** then you are” he whispered with a mocking tone, as his friend was looking at some documents.  
“What?” the CEO asked almost distractedly while leaving the papers aside.  
“Your wife. Louis Borbon _never_ stops talking about her”

The mention of his nemesis made him tremble slightly, especially if that man’s name was associated to his wife's, and yet Oliver d’Athos de la Fère forced himself to ignore all those annoying feelings “Louis Borbon desires her, yes.”  
“And does it bother you?”  
“No…” he replied uncertainly “She is **_mine_** , but my competitor should not indulge on how to steal her from me. It’s _disrespectful_.”  
“If I recall correctly one of your employees had an affair with _his_ wife as well. When was it? Two, three years ago?”  
“Shut up.”  
“Now I recognise you” Porthos exclaimed laughing “You need to be…moody, to be yourself."  
“What do you mean?”  
“You are…” he hesitated, a grin appearing on his face “Happier"   
“I’m not.”  
“Yes, you are.”  
“No,” Athos said one last time, but at that moment his wife appeared in the opposite office, her long hair falling on her back, a small smile on her face, a light in her eyes.

She was like this; she brought light into every room she got in.

Athos smiled silently.  
Anne was so _beautiful_ , and it was not just for her _body_ , her _shape_. She was beautiful, _the way she moved, the way she talked_. Every part of her was _attractive_ , _intriguing_ , _fascinating_. And she was _his_ wife; she _belonged_ to him.

At a point, she turned meeting his insistent gaze, and without even realising she was, she slowly started moving in his direction.

“Athos…”  
“Wife…”

She grinned, biting her lips just the way that drove him crazy, just the way she knew he liked it.

“I need the platinum.”  
“What?” he asked raising an eyebrow, confused.  
“I _want_ a new dress for tonight's event” Anne whispered “An expensive one.”  
“You don’t need it,” Oliver said loosening the collar, just the way he knew drove her mad, just the way he knew she liked it “You have plenty of dresses.”  
“I _need_ the platinum” Anne insisted smirking “You won’t be… _dissatisfied_. I promise”  
“Fine,” he said after some seconds of silence, taking the card out of his wallet “Try to be punctual.”  
“I will make a great entrance, you can be sure of that” she hissed before disappearing “See you tonight, Oliver…”

The so-called event did not arrive soon enough.  
Athos had tried to avoid thinking about it; he tried all day, constantly and impatiently and yet there were still things to do, paper to sign, assets to buy, possible patterns to check. Things that normally would have brought him joy and excitement. But those things did not work, it was becoming always more annoying to stay there.

_Without her._

The moment after he had given her the platinum, his dear wife had disappeared. Of course, Athos knew that these kinds of the event were important to her, they were her job, the reason he had hired her in the first place, and yet…in a strange way it bothered him.

When Oliver arrived, he immediately started looking for the woman he had married, hoping to see her brilliant gaze, her beautiful open green eyes.

She was light, and he was impatient to be enlightened.

Then he saw her silhouette.  
And he saw who was next to her, whispering things to her ears.

_Louis_

Something happened to him then, Oliver felt the strange urge to interrupt whatever was happening between those two, he felt the need to drag her away.

His body brought him there before his mind could even process a coherent thought about that weird situation.  
“ _Anne_ …” he hissed with a slight tremor in his voice  
“ _Oliver_ ” she replied turning slowly, mockery in her tone “Such a pleasure to see you here, _finally_.”  
“Wife!”  
“Husband,” she remarked with a smirk before leaving the room, _forcing_ him to _follow_ her.

“What were you thinking? You know who that…”  
“I was seducing your main competitor, _yes_ ” she whispered reaching for a glass of champagne “He’s quite the man.”  
“You’re **_MY_** wife!” he screamed exasperated “I know we agreed on living separate lives but... **_flirting_** with Louis is...”  
“ _Smart_ ,” the woman said raising her eyebrow “It gave me access to his private apartments and to _this_ ” Anne continued pulling a USB into his pocket. Athos did not even register that, his mind still frozen “His **_private_** apartments?” he made a small pause, _unwilling_ to continue the conversation, _unwilling_ to say those words aloud “Did you sleep with him?”  
“Relax Oliver it was _just_ sex.” she replied laughing “ _It didn’t mean anything_.”  
_“It didn’t mean anything????_ ”  
“I’m still married to **_you_** ; I’m on **_your_** side.”  
“ _You slept with him_ ” he repeated, as though that by saying it again he would have changed what had happened, hoping that she might have corrected him.

_She didn’t._

“We are going in circles here, Oliver.”


	7. Nothing and Everything

“ _How long?_ ”  
“What?” Anne asked emerging from a pile of papers, staring at her _not-so-strangely lunatic_ husband.

Since their last social event, Oliver had been _caustic_ , and _rude_ , and _distant_. On her side Anne had tried to _avoid thinking_ about it, first she had decided to be gentler and then to ignore his behaviour.

Nothing had worked.

“You and **_Louis_**.” she heard him hissing with a hint of _disgust_ in his voice “ _How long_ , Anne?”  
“Is this what had been bothered you lately?” she said sitting in front of him.

The surrounding that Anne had learned to love, the house she had considered hers, everything felt suddenly _distorted, distant, uncomfortable._

“ _How long_?” her husband continued bitterly, finding grip on a bottle, clearly angry.

The wine had become his closest friend lately, something Anne had always been aware of, but since that _stupid_ party, it had gotten out of control.

“Oliver please _don’t_. It happened only a couple of times, and _it’s over_ now.”  
“It didn’t seem _over_ two days ago at that stupid social event” Athos remarked with the intention of drinking, but his wife took the bottle from him before he could even have a taste of it “ _It is_ _over_. He’s going through a rough divorce and ever a worse battle for custody. Trust me, neither _he_ nor _I_ have _anything_ to gain if this affair becomes public.”

There was silence after that, Athos lowered his eyes, avoiding his wife’s gaze and Anne started biting her lips, their house suddenly felt such a cold place “Oliver, I…”  
“ _Have you any idea of what you’ve done_?”

Oliver’s voice echoed through the room, freezing Anne’s blood.

He was _hurt_ , she could almost _sense how much she had hurt him._  
And she was feeling overwhelmed. And yet she could not show it.

Anne had spent almost her whole life trying to _defend herself, trying to feel something_ and _to show something else_. That was just _her way_ ; it had _always been her way_ , so she smirked.

“ _Yes_ , I’ve stolen secret data from your archenemy to help _our_ Company.”  
“Sleeping with him in the process!”  
“Oh my God you’re redundant, _Oliver_ ,” she said one last time rolling her eyes, trying to _avoid_ the subject, hoping to close that absurd discussion, but the only thing she got in return was his desperate eyes and his _angry_ voice “I must go back to the Office now, _don’t follow me_ ”

Anne cursed herself then. She cursed her pride, her stubbornness, her insecurities, her trust issues. She was destroying _everything_ , her… marriage, her partnership, everything _she cared_ about for _no reasons at all._

In that same moment the man she had married, was driving fast to his office, eager to _leave home_ and _to leave her,_ his wife.

_Anne_.

Or maybe just _Milady_ , the woman that adored to _drive him crazy_ , to use his _weakness_ against him and to _sleep_ with his nemesis, thinking that having sex with that… **_thing_** was just not an important thing. His wife considered something like sleeping in the arms of his enemy, irrelevant, she believed that giving her body to Louis Borbon was an _acceptable_ thing to do.

And he _hated_ her for that, Oliver could sense so well the _anger_ building inside of him.

_How had he misjudged Anne de Breuil to this extent?_ Anne had looked so… _fit_ to the role. And yet she had _never_ been the best candidate, and deep down _he had always known it_.

Her past, her background, her...

But Anne had been _his choice_ , so now it was _his job_ to deal with the consequences.

“ _It’s late. You should be home, Mr d’Athos_.”

A voice interrupted his thoughts. Suddenly Athos realised he had been looking at the screen of his pc for hours and an attractive young girl was staring at him perplexed.

“And you are…?”  
“Sylvie. Sylvie the intern”, the girl, replied smiling shyly, lowering her eyes.  
“Sylvie the intern” he repeated smiling in return “You are right, I _should_ be home by now.”  
“Why aren’t you then?” Sylvie asked with a sweet tone, but the girl soon realised it was not her place to question her boss “I’m sorry. I ask things I _shouldn’t_.”  
“Don’t worry Sylvie the intern, you are kind” the CEO replied smiling “I… argued with my wife. Nothing serious.”  
“That woman is really lucky to have you” the intern whispered before leaving the room with a witty smile.

Something about Sylvie the intern captured his attention immediately. The girl seemed really _cute_ and _sweet_ , and _tender_.

_Something Anne had never been._

“What if you’ve been seen?” Oliver asked his wife a couple of days later as they were having breakfast.  
“We…?”  
“ _You_ and _your lover_ ,” he remarked bitterly “Louis.”

Once again a noisy silence fell between them, Anne took a big breath, her heart racing inside her chest, her hands moving nervously below the table.

“We weren’t”  
“You can’t know that Anne!” he yelled, raising his voice, slamming his fist on the table. Her _inability_ to understand the _gravity_ of her actions always infuriated Athos, there were times when Anne just failed to realize that the way she behaved, the path she took, had effects on everyone else, had effects on him.  
“But I do know it, Oliver” her soft but firm voice replied, “Stop thinking about it…”  
“What if a photo goes out?” he asked angrily and anxiously “The press could _destroy_ us!”  
“No photo will go out,” Anne replied calmly “I can assure you that”  
“How do you know it?”  
“Because it never happened.”

_It never happened._

“It…” Oliver hesitated, trying to absorb those words “What do you mean?”  
“ _I haven’t slept with him_ ” his wife clarified “I’ve just got close enough to stole his material.”  
“But no sex?” he continued shocked “Why on earth have you made me believe otherwise?”  
“I wanted to see whether it would have bothered you” Anne simply replied staring at him, fearing his action and yet maintaining her smirk, her poker face.  
“And are you _satisfied_ then?” anger, tenseness and.. disappointment, disgust in his voice “Are you, _Milady_?”  
“More than you imagine” the woman replied with a smile, but her husband’s response was not the one she had expected “You’re a manipulative bitch.”  
“And you like it” she insisted “You do.”  
“I would not be so sure of that, _Milady_ ” Athos said angrily “Maybe marrying a stranger was not my brightest idea.”

Of course, he had to follow this path, Anne thought. He always does, when he’s afraid, when he feels threatened, Oliver attacks, this was something they had always had in common. The difference between them was that Anne had been herself smart enough not to lie to myself. Maybe.

The same anger that Athos had felt building inside him was now taking over Anne herself.

“ _You don’t believe that_!” she screamed, ordering the help to leave them alone.  
“Maybe I do,” her husband remarked smirking, adoring the feel of being finally _capable of hurting the untouchable Anne_ “Maybe I should have married Ninon de la Roque instead”  
“Ninon? Please” Anne replied rolling her eyes, only mentioning that woman bothered her, only thinking about her made her felt sick.  
“Why not?”  
“We met her remember? That girl is… _boring_.” Anne hissed tense “And _overconfident_. _Annoying_ ”  
“She’s also _sweet_ and _loyal_. I would have never have doubted her”

_I would have never have doubted her._

“You doubt **_me_**?” Anne asked after some moments of silence.  
Strangely that statement had been the only one capable of truly shocking her.

_Her husband doubted her._

Oliver did not speak to her for the rest of the day, at work he ignored her, and later that night he didn’t come home back home. Their house felt _terrifying_ without Oliver, Anne almost felt a _usurper_ , _unworthy_ of being there, _unfit_ to rule over that small kingdom.

Of course, her rational side knew that dwelling on such thoughts was _stupid_ and _irrational_ and yet she was feeling… lonely.

She was missing _him_ , the man she barely knew.

“Everything is alright, Mrs d’Athos?”  
“Yes, thank you Elodie” Anne replied, realising that she had been staring at the dish in front her for ages “I’m just not hungry.”  
The maid gave her a nod in return, unsure whether the Mrs. needed help or not “Do you…” the girl hesitated “I can find out where your husband is _if this is what you want._ ”

_Did she want to know though?_ Anne was not sure about it. She wasn’t _supposed_ to care about it, she knew she wasn’t, and yet a part of her was going crazy at the idea of not knowing where he was, what he was doing and with whom.

Anne closed her eyes for a couple of seconds and then opened her eyes, staring at the girl in front of her “How can I know where your loyalty stands, Elodie? My husband is the one who has hired you, and yet here you are, eager to _betray_ him. How can I trust you?”  
“Your husband did hire me, that’s true, but he also made very _clear_ that my job was to _stay_ _on your side_ , always.”  
“What?”  
“He knew this role would have been _exhausting_ , and _I was meant to be your ally_.”  
“ _You never helped me before,_ ” Anne remarked still sceptical and insecure.  
“ _You never seemed to need help before_ ” Elodie replied lowering her eyes and Anne nodded in return “Thank you, but I don’t need help…”  
“As you wish,” the maid replied “But if you change your mind…” she hesitated for some seconds “You know where to find me.”  
Anne smiled nervously, and the girl took a big breath before adding one further thing “If I may, Mrs… _He’s not like us_ ” Elodie whispered making sure that no-one else was listening to them “Your husband is _charming_ and _intelligent_ , but he was raised in a home just like this, his _family_ … He’s always have been _rich_ , he’s always been _spoiled_ , and he has always had _everything_ he wanted. **_Always_**. My mother has worked for the la Fères her whole life, _they are not good people_. Oliver is probably the best among them and considering that he has always been the heir presumptive of their fortune, this is a miracle, his brother…”  
“ ** _His brother_**?”  
“Thomas. Despite the family’s efforts, he’s in jail.”  
“Oliver has a brother who’s in jail?” Anne repeated, still in shock _. Her husband had never mentioned this brother, not once in almost eight months._  
Elodie nodded then “Thomas. He was convicted of stalking and gang rape. He's serving four years in prison.”

_Stalking and gang rape, those words stopped Anne’s heart for some seconds._

“Oliver has always felt _responsible_ for this”  
“Why?”  
“He is his little brother after all. It was his duty to…make sure he wouldn’t… become such a monster.”

Anne hesitated, trying to calm down, trying to understand why the maid was telling her all that “ _What’s the point of this, Elodie_?”  
“The point…” the girl started “Is that your husband is a complicated man, with a complicated past. You two are not so different after all.” she hesitated some further seconds “Talk to him, tell him how sorry you are and if he reacts badly… Just wait and _be patient_. He _cares_ about you. _Deeply,_ I suspect. He _will_ forgive you eventually.”  
“ _He does not care about m_ e. It’s an arranged marriage, a convenient marriage, _it’s always been a convenient marriage_ , you should be aware of that by now”  
“I am” the maid replied “ _But are you? Is he?_ ”

_And after that Elodie disappeared, leaving her mistress alone._

In that same moment, Athos was drinking alone in his office.  
The surrounding seemed so _calm_ at night, he felt so _alone_ , a _solitary deposed king_ ruling over a silent kingdom, rain falling heavily and only him to witness it.

“ _Mr d'Athos_.”

_That_ voice. He recognised _that_ voice, even before turning he knew exactly to whom _that_ voice belonged “Sylvie the intern” Athos said turning just to meet the girl's eyes.

She looked so _pure_ , _innocent_.  
She looked so _distant_ from his wife. And he _liked_ her for that.

“Are you ok?”  
“I am _drunk_.” he replied showing the glass of wine he was holding “And angry.”  
“Still about your wife?” a smile appeared on the girl’s lips, and she took a step closer, closing the door behind her.  
“Sylvie…”  
“Yes…”  
“What are you doing?” he asked as the intern was reaching him.  
“ _Maybe I could help you_ ” she continued, letting her dress fall, her naked body emerging in front of him, her perking nipples looking at him “ ** _No_** …”  
“ ** _Yes_** …” she said sweetly, pulling him closer, kissing him gently “ ** _Yes_**.”

_Athos resisted for some seconds, but his body betrayed him._ The horrible truth was that a part of him _really wanted to fuck that girl, Sylvie the intern._ She was _willing_ and _simple,_ her long dark hair falling on there back, her hand reaching for the zipper of his pants. "Anything to pleasure you, Mr. President" 

_For one night Sylvie the intern could have been fine._

After all, Anne had _played_ with his feelings, _manipulated_ him, _betrayed_ his trust just to see if he… cared. _She had used him, and she hadn’t felt any guilt._

_She had done what she wanted._

Now it was _his turn_ to do as he wished and he was free of doing as he pleased.  
Including sleeping around, or sleeping with Sylvie the intern.

_For a night it would have been fine, for a night Sylvie would have been fine._

 


	8. What You Wanted

The conversation with the maid haunted Anne more than she would have liked to admit.

Days passed, and she was _still_ alone, alone in that _big_ house. She might have even checked his _big_ bed a couple of times, finding it always empty, felling every time more frustrated.

_He’s not like us_   
_The la Fères are not good people_   
_He’s the best among them_   
_Your husband is a complicated man, with a complicated past._   
_You two are not so different._

After three days still, there was no sign of Athos.  
He did not even show up at work, and Anne was feeling helpless.

_Alone. Abandoned._

Then suddenly he came back. One morning she found him in the dining room, awesome as always. Her husband was standing there, reading the newspaper, a cup of coffee in his hand. That big house felt home again. He was home again.

_Like nothing had ever happened._

“Oliver…” Anne's voice sounded more relieved than she had intended to but he gave her just a look forcing a nervous smile “Anne.”

There were no other words between them for that day, the awkwardness was evident, and neither of them seemed willing to break that newfound peace.

A week passed, and Anne decided that silence had to end.

“There was **_nothing_** between Louis and me, I just…” she tried to approach him one evening, her voice feeble, her eyes sad but Athos interrupted her. The memories of the night he had spent with Sylvie were still obsessing him, and all of those conflicting feelings were confusing him. He _wanted_ to forget, a part of him wanted to ask for his wife's forgiveness, to kneel before her, but something else, his pride probably, was stopping him. He had made a mistake, he had slept with the intern, and deep down Athos knew he had no right to be mad at the woman he had married. And yet, the anger about Anne’s lies and betrayal were still there, devouring him.

He had cheated, but his wife had betrayed their partnership

“Maybe Marie de Rohan-Montbazon would have fit even better than Ninon.” the words escaped his mouth angrily and crudely.  
“What?”  
“She would have been a perfect wife. Marie would have known her place, something you were **_never_** capable of” he continued bitterly “You have **_never_** known when to stop, but it’s not your fault. You have not the right… _background_ ”

 _There was silence then._  
 _Well, he had hurt her, again._  
 _But this time he had wanted to hurt her, he had almost liked to hurt her_.

"That's not what I..."  
“Are you serious?” Anne replied annoyed, Elodie had warned her, but still, she did not aspect such an attitude from him “You smell like cheap alcohol, Oliver, I have not understood what’s _wrong_ with you lately, and yet I’m not here calling you an alcoholic. Maybe I should, that’s _what_ you are after all.”  
“I should have made different choices” he exhaled, frustrated.  
“Ninon?" Anne smirked, visibly disturbed from that whole conversation " _Are we back to **this** point?_ _Really?_ _You would have **hated** every second!”_

_She was **right**. She knew she was. Her husband had **never** been such a mystery to her._

Anne d’Athos knew her husband, she knew that Oliver d'Athos de la Fère _needed_ fire, no matter how much he could and would have tried to deny it, he _needed_ someone willing to burn with him, not a sweet, gentle girl waiting for him back home. He _needed_ a warrior, he _needed_ someone willing to fight with him, to stay at his side, he _needed_ a partner, he _needed_ a companion, and he _needed_ an enemy, he _needed_ someone eager to challenge him.

_Anne was that. She was both sides. She was everything._

“What makes you feel so presumptuous, Anne?”  
“The fact, _dearest husband_ , that whether you like it or not, I’m the only one that makes you feel alive.”  
“It's not _just_ you” he whispered, finding his sense again, the anger suddenly was gone, and a grip on his stomach had appeared.

What Athos was feeling was similar to… _shame_ , and _regret_.

The flashes of the night he had spent with Sylvie were like a curse to him, and a sense of **_guilt_** was possessing him.

He had done **_nothing_** wrong, that’s what he had kept repeating to himself. Their agreement had always been **_clear_** , they _were both **free**_ of living their separate lives, of having _lovers_ and _one night stands._ It was **_not_** a problem, there was **_no_** confusion, they were **_not_** a real couple. It was an arranged marriage, a convenient marriage.

And yet _he couldn’t bear_ to look at his wife.

“You can’t trust me, but you want me, this is the problem, isn’t it?” she hissed calmly “ _Oliver_ …”  
“No, it’s not that”  
“Oliver…” Anne hesitated, a slight tremor in her voice “The past is dead, but the future isn’t. Give me, give us…One more chance, one more.”

He couldn't look at her after this, he just lowered his eyes and left, leaving her there overwhelmed and worried.

Over the following days, she found herself at the door of his room. 

 _Again_. _And again._

  
Incapable of knocking at that door, incapable of facing him.

He was back _home_ and yet she had never felt more _alone_ and _miserable_ in her entire life. She had to fix this, Anne _had to_ make it right.

So she entered the room, no knocking, no calling him, she just entered, finding him on the edge of his bed.

“Oliver...”   
"What are you doing here?" he asked, visibly shocked "Anne, this is not..."  
“We are not at work now, Oliver. You can't hide. Listen to me.”  
“Do as you please, Anne. You’re a free woman, but don't..”  
“That’s the point, **_isn’t it_** _?_ **_I’m not_** ” she interrupted, trying not to fall apart, tears in her eyes and anger in her voice “ ** _Not anymore. I am bound to you_**.”  
“Bound?”  
“I’m sorry if what I did…”  
“You’re sorry?” Athos asked surprised, tiredness in his voice “For what exactly? Manipulating me? Taking advantage of whatever…”  
“All of it” she cried “But **_you_** hurt me as well.”

There was a _distance_ between them.

 ** _Again_**.

Athos couldn't bear to look at her, she was _the most important person in his life,_ she was his _partner_ , his _friend_ , his _confidant_ , but _he couldn't bear to face that conversation_.

“I know.” he said after an eternity “The truth is... We should end it, it’s not only because you used my nemesis against me, it's…”   
“You doubt my loyalty, I know” Anne acknowledged “Oliver…I never asked you not to..”  
“It’s not your fault." he clarified "I _paid_ you for this. To _lie_ about everything, to be _my_ fake wife, to _deceive_ everyone.”  
 ** _“I did not lie about everything.”_**  
“It doesn't matter."  
 ** _“I did not lie about everything.”_**

He wouldn't move. Athos kept looking at her, but he wouldn't move.

Instead, Anne walked towards him and kissed him.

_Kissed him._

Her hands slowly reached for his face “Oliver…” and at that moment all his anger was gone, she smiled shyly leaning into him “ ** _Not everything_**.”

Slowly, tangling her fingers in his hair, her whole body trembling.   
He stayed there, frozen for a few seconds.

The intensity of that kiss had surprised him, Anne was giving herself to him, and that strangely sweet move made him feel so… _overwhelmed_. Her lips were so _soft_ and yet so _insistent_ , her entire body adapting to his. _It felt right._

“Anne…”  
”Shh…” she hissed, pushing him to the bed “ _We are a team._ You can trust me, Oliver” Anne continued, now above him, her mouth still looking for his “That’s all that matters. We can forget about everything else. I want... ** _need_** to forget”

Athos kissed her back, it _felt_ good kissing her, she _tasted_ good, it _was_ good. Then her hands reached his stomach, tossing away his shirt.  
In a moment Anne's lips left her husband's to reach his neck, impatiently. She wanted him, and he was _feeling_ it.

But he was not worth it.

“No,” Athos said taking her head in his hands “No.”  
“No?”  
“No, we shouldn’t do this, Anne” he whispered, leaving a kiss on her forehead, showing kindness to his wife for the first time in ages “ _We need to talk._ ”  
“I don’t care where you were, or with whom” Anne whispered in return, touching his chest and then his neck “ _I don’t want to care_ , _just_..” there was silence then, she closed her eyes, trying to control her emotions “Forgive me and I’ll forgive you” she said kissing him again, thoroughly this time, their bodies collapsing into each other.  
“Anne..”  
“I need to be forgiven, please…” she continued leaving a kiss on his neck, pulling him towards her.

She was breaking the most important rule, _she was feeling something_. She was admitting that her husband’s feelings mattered to her. And he knew it.

There was silence then, Athos moved, his fingers reaching the inside of her thigh.

“What are you doing?”  
“Shh” he signed groaning before tasting her lips again, his tongue slipping into her mouth “I’m the one who’s sorry, Anne.”  
“About what?” she asked, responding to that kiss ”Oliver…”

Before Anne could register what was happening, he was leaving small kisses inside her tight. Then one finger slid through her folds, sinking into her. Her hips responded to that touch, inviting him to continue. A part of her, the _rational_ part of her, was telling her of stopping that but her body _couldn’t..._ **_wouldn't_** obey.

It felt too good to stop, the pleasure that was running through her veins was something she would not have given up.

She was not a child, and she was not naive, and yet Anne had **_never_** felt like this. She had never known it was even possible to feel this good.

“Oliver…” she whispered, shuddering, suddenly realising that tears were falling on her cheek “Oliver… Don’t stop.”

He didn’t, her open eyes, her groans, her partings legs, only invited him to go further, to insert further fingers inside her, moving back and forth trying to pleasure her, staring at her green eyes in the meanwhile.

_She was beautiful and watching her as she came was breathtaking._

“ ** _You are perfect_** ” the words escaped his mouth before Oliver could even think a proper way to address that “I…”

“ ** _Don’t_**.”   
“Something is wrong?” he asked tentatively his hands moving towards her face “Anne…”  
“It was a one-time thing, I know” the woman replied pushing him away, suddenly moving away from him “We _don’t_ need to talk about it.”   
“That’s not what…”  
“This **_isn’t_** a problem,” Anne remarked, her voice sharp and hard “The rules have been clear from the beginning, _no sentiments and no sex, separate lives_.”  
“That’s…”  
“That’s _what you wanted_ ” she insisted “And _I agreed_. Let’s keep it this way.”


	9. Hopeless hope

**_“I want to talk to you.”_ **

Anne closed her eyes immediately, recognising the voice of the man she had married. Oliver had been particularly insistent lately, especially after their last… _encounter_ , but she had kept pushing him away, incapable of facing him. Once again it was late, and their house was _dark_ and _empty_ , once again _she couldn’t see him,_ but Anne could **_sense_** her husband behind her, unsure of what to do. _She just wanted him to disappear._ Anne just wanted _everyone_ and _everything_ to disappear, the only anchor she could find was the glass of wine she was holding tightly.

“What do you want to talk about, Oliver?” her voice was calm, trying to hide a tremor Anne was suddenly feeling in her stomach.

_The more she had tried to avoid him, the more he had pushed for answers_

“Anne…” he hissed with tenseness in his voice “What happened the other night, we…”  
“ ** _Don’t._** ”  
“Anne, I would like to…”  
“ ** _Don’t_** ” she repeated turning, meeting his awaiting eyes. He was _expecting_ something from her, something _she would have never given him_ “I’m **_not_** unbreakable, Oliver. Let’s forget about this, let’s live out lives.”  
“I would like to…” he started moving his hands in his wife’s direction, just to see her withdrawing from his attention. She seemed so… _sad_ , and _moody_. Anne wanted to keep a distance between them, it was plenty evident, and she was so _rigid_ , even at that moment, where he was there, speaking to her, breathing the same air, so close that he could have kissed her.

Instead, the only thing that Anne wanted to do was to minimise the whole thing, to avoid any kind of _genuine_ conversation.

“Oliver, please…” she hissed after a long pause “ ** _Don’t do this again_**.”  
“Why not?”  
“ _It isn’t worth it_ ” Anne replied harshly. She just wanted to _leave_ the room, _leave_ him, and that mixture of _undefined feelings_. She drunk again, a part of her knew that whole situation was already confusing enough without adding extra alcohol, but she couldn't help it.   
“Anne…” Oliver called touching his wife’s wrist in a misguided attempt to stop her “I learned to know you. And _to care about you_.”   
“ ** _You don’t know anything about me_**!” she replied bitterly, separating from him.   
“Don’t say that.”  
“ ** _Please, just_** …” the woman continued “Keep things professional. **_Please_** ”  
“You…” he said almost trembling, nervous and impatient “What happened. _You_ showed me something. _You_ showed vulnerability.”  
“It was necessary.”  
“Do it again. Talk to me” once again he felt the doubt corroding his soul “Maybe…”  
“Maybe…?”  
“I found myself ** _liking you_** ” he exhaled, hiding a small smile “ ** _More than I should have_** ”   
“Ok”  
“Ok?”  
“I can’t. _Ever_ ”

There were _fear_ , _fear_ and _firmness_ in her voice. Oliver had never seen his wife like that, her eyes were suddenly so small. _Frightened_. _Terrified_

  
“What do you mean?”  
“It won’t be real. _Ever_. I agreed on this fake marriage for a reason.”  
“For the money.”  
“ _No_!” she screamed angrily “I needed to… escape that awful environment.”  
“Your manager?” Athos asked, suddenly remembering the time he had spent looking for a potential bride “Remì once told me that you wanted to get away from him.”  
“Richelieu is a genius,” the woman remarked, holding tears back, a hurt tone in her voice “He _helped_ me to get away from a very _unhealthy_ situation, and I will be forever grateful to him, but still he…”  
“What has he done to you?”  
“ _I’m not doing this_ ”  
“Anne…”  
“I am no doing this with you, Oliver!” she cried angrily, and yet sad."This is _none_ of your business"

The was a trace of _bitterness_ in her tone that worried her husband more than he would have cared to admit. If there was a thing Athos had always found _attractive_ in his wife, was her _independence_ , _strength_ , _strong-will_. She was always so… _bossy_ , _in control_. And yet now an _angry_ and _vulnerable_ woman was in front of him, her body shaking and her eyes small.

And he still felt the urge to… _connect_ with her, to _console_ her, to _hold_ her.

**_She was so beautiful._ **

Anne barely spoke to him in the two following months.

She was always willing to accompany him to any social event, to any press conference, to hold his hands and to be the trophy wife she was always meant to be and privately, she was polite and fulfil her role, and yet there was a distance between them, a distance that had disappeared at a point, a distance he wanted to destroy.

Oliver tried with everything he could possibly think of but his wife simply avoided him and stay silent, or changed the subject.

From time to time he found her _alone_ , drinking in the dark of their living room, _desperate_ and _moody_ , same as the night he had questioned her about her past. She looked like a ghost, living and breathing but _dead inside_.

There was, there _must have been_ a reason for that behaviour. She was hiding something, something from past, possibly. Anne was always so _vague_ and so _mysterious_ , so _unwilling_ to open up. Eventually, Athos asked Remì to look into that, a part of him knew that Anne would have gotten mad if she had ever found out, but at the same, he couldn’t just wait for her to get over it.

He was _impetuous_ , he had always been, and he _needed_ , he needed to _understand_ what had happened, why she was behaving the way she was.

_He missed her_   
_He missed the woman he had married_   
_He missed the woman he was starting to like so much_   
_He missed the woman he was so evidently attracted to_

Days went by, and he barely noticed, people talked to him, and he barely noticed but suddenly the CEO’s attention was awakened and entirely focused the moment Remì gave him a new folder about his wife. Athos had always been _moody_ and _solitary_ , but Remì could now clearly see a wave of _anger_ in his eyes, a _darkness_ he had rarely see before. 

“Mr d'Athos?”  
“Enter”  
“This is what you asked, Mr Athos.”

There was even a _tenseness_ in his tone and his fury, his _fear_ was what was _plenty evident_.

“Just give me the folder, Remì” he hissed “and leave.”

 _Abuse, Rape, Harassment, Prostitution, Extortions, Violence_  
The words appeared frenetically in front of him, hurting in a way that he almost felt like choking.

Reading the filthy and disturbing details of Anne’s childhood shocked him.   
It felt _disgusting_ , and he felt _powerless_.

“I want this Sazarin _**dead**_ ” he whispered some hours later, drinking with one of his closest friends. There were both sitting in their old bar, the bar, where they use to spend their nights when they were still attending college. It seemed as if a lifetime had passed from those days.

“You don’t mean it” Aramis replied, ordering another shot “You know you don’t.”  
“ _I do_.”  
“Athos…”  
“I am what I am, I come from my family after all” there was such bitterness in his voice “Like my _brother_.”  
“Don’t say that. _You are better than this_ ”  
“No I don’t think so” Athos hissed angrily, looking down “ ** _He hurt he_** r”  
“And so you have to hurt him as well? This is not the right thing to do.”  
“Maybe not. **_Maybe I don’t care._** ”

Once again there was silence between them, and Athos felt aged a hundred years. There was a rage inside his chest that was difficult to calm.

He wanted blood, and he would have got it. Calmly he passed a USB pen drive to his friend.

“What’s inside it?”  
“A list of names.”   
“Of people that need to…” there was some uncertainty in his voice, fear to ask.  
“Be _framed_ ” Athos’s voice sounded in a sharp tone.

He was angry, frustrated and full of hate.   
_Every fibre of his body was expressing those feelings._

“Not murdered?”  
“ _Framed_ ” Athos repeated, “Pay who you have to pay and keep them in jail.”  
“For how long?”  
“ _Just keep them in jail and don’t question my orders_.”  
“Since when are you a tyrant?”

Athos lowered his eyes, avoiding those insistent questions. Aramis was right, he had never been a tyrant, but since he had read that folder, a need had emerged from inside him. He needed to do something. _Anything_.

“This is not…“ Aramis started hesitantly “......the way to show your _affection_ to her”   
Athos smirked, drinking again “That’s not the point.”  
“There are more normal and healthy ways to…”  
“To…?”  
“To court her.”  
“Don’t be absurd.”  
“I’m not” he exclaimed forcing a smile “You should… ask her out, for a start.”  
“She’s **_married_** to me, I don’t **_need_** to ask her out.”  
“And flowers, women love flowers!” Aramis continued, ignoring his friend’s offended face “Talk to her, connect… Let her know.”  
“She **_knows_** already. And she’s not interested.”

That was something he hadn't seen coming. Aramis could barely imagine his friend admitting some sorts of feelings to someone he cared about, and to his fake-not so fake trophy wife? That seemed quite impossible “What did you say?”  
Athos shook his head in return “Nothing, I shouldn’t have told you.”  
“But you have! What did you say to Anne?”

Oliver then smirked, hit from a painful realisation. Maybe it was the alcohol speaking, maybe it was his true self, he could not know, and yet words flow out of his mouth “Aramis… I… I think I _want_ her” he paused “Like I never wanted anything or anyone before and it’s not just because of the thrill of haunting. I _want_ her, the way she is, the way… She challenges and provokes me, and I adore that. Anne makes me act crazy, impulsively, but still I…I just want to see her, to talk to her, to go home and… she tastes so… good. Whatever...It’s right. It feels right. I want her at my side, I..”  
“She tastes good…?”  
“I need to go _now_. I need to go and _find_ her.”

Athos walked fast at the beginning, then an urge emerged from his bones, eager to leave, his heart beating faster than usual.

He needed to see her, to talk to her, to admit everything.

**_Anne_ **

He reached their house finding it _empty_. That environment which was always so full of voices and people was just _empty_. Not even the help was there, and there was no sign of Anne.

Suddenly Athos heard a noise behind him, and with a smile, he turned, a strange sense of hope in his eyes. A strange sense of hope _that died quickly_.

 

**_“Why aren’t you answering my texts?”_ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	10. Your wife

From the last chapter 

He reached their house finding it _empty_. That environment which was always so full of voices and people was just _empty_. Not even the help was there, and there was no sign of Anne.

Suddenly Athos heard a noise behind him, and with a smile, he turned, a strange sense of hope in his eyes. A strange sense of hope _that died quickly_.

**_“Why aren’t you answering my texts?”_ **

 

 

“Sylvie?” Athos hissed shocked “What are **_you_** doing here?”  
“You didn’t answer my texts” the girl replied, stepping out of the shadows, a smirk on her face. “I had to do something.”  
“I answered, I told you I am _not_ interested.”  
“We both know that’s not quite true, Mr Athos.”

Sylvie had self-confidence in her voice, a confidence that would impress and appealed him in any other moment, but in that instant, he felt _nothing_. Athos just needed the girl to disappear, ever being with her had been a huge mistake, he could see it so clearly, finally. There was only one person Oliver wanted in that house, with whom sharing his life and his fears, his anger and his hate.

“Sylvie, you’re _forgetting_ your place now” he whispered coldly, “And never ever _dare_ to come to my house again.”

The woman rolled her eyes, annoyed “Don’t treat me like a fool. I’m here because Mrs d’Athos asked me to accompany her.”  
“Anne’s upstairs?” there was a sudden light in Athos’s eyes. He cared about Anne d'Athos, he cared about his wife, it was so plenty evident “Is she ok?”

There was a disappointment then, her eyes suddenly realising Athos had never wanted her, suddenly understanding she had been only a distraction “So you _use me_ and then throw me away like garbage? _Is this who you are?_ ”  
“I made a mistake.”  
“Yeah, that’s what I am, then” she acknowledged with a nod “A _mistake_.”  
“Sylvie…”  
“I’m pregnant.”

_Pregnant_

_Athos suddenly felt terrified_

_Pregnant_

“ ** _What_**?”  
“You knocked me up, and now I’m having your baby” the girl waited some seconds, bitter before continuing “Say something, _please_.”  
“ ** _My wife can’t know about this_** ”

This was the only logical thought that came to his mind.  
Anne had already been enough cold towards him, he could not bear the thought of losing her even more, maybe even for good.

“Your wife…That’s your answer.”  
“Sylvie, I’m sorry I..”  
“Two million.”

Sylvie’s voice was suddenly full of anger and anguish.

“What?”  
“Two million, I want two million” she continued, rage building inside her “Do you want your traumatised wife to find out about our affair?”

_Traumatised wife_

“ _Leave **her** alone_ ” Athos hissed with rage, feeling the _urge_ to _protect_ Anne from his mistakes “If you just think about…”  
“ _Give **me** the money_ ” Sylvie insisted smirking with a grin, sensing victory.  
“You think you can blackmail me?”  
“You think you can do as you wish, impregnate me and do not pay the price for this? The baby is _yours_ , I could create an international scandal and get what I want, but still, I’m letting you a choice.”  
“You are disgusting.”  
“ _So are you_.”

And Athos knew she was right.  
He really was disgusting, but at the same time he needed Sylvie to disappear from his sight “ _Get out right now_.”

 

After that he sat down for a while, a headache torturing him.

_What have I done_

Before he knew, Athos has reached the edge of her room.

 

“Anne?” he knocked at her door slowly “Can I come in?” Oliver whispered but did not wait for her approval to enter, suddenly feeling a magnetic attraction, unable to leave her alone.

“ _What do you want?_ ” the woman muttered, turning meeting her husband’s eyes, fixed on her. Anne, on her side, was lying on the bed, hiding under the sheets.

“ _I want to hold you._ ”

In just a matter of seconds, Oliver entered her bed and wrapped his arms around her waist, touching her with a tenderness that she had never known before.  
“ _Don’t be absurd_ ” Anne replied, _frozen_ , attempting to avoid his gaze.  
“ _Do you want me to go away?_ ”

Athos's wife stayed silent for a while, incapable of giving him a proper answer.

“ _No, I don't want you to_ ”

The sound that escaped her mouth was _feeble_ but loud enough for Athos to hear it clearly, so he moved towards her, closer than he had been before, adjusting instinctively to her shape. That gesture scared them both, probably it was far the most intimate moment they had ever shared, which seemed strange considering Oliver had gone down on her only some month prior.

But this was far _more intimate, more frightening_. And it felt **_good_**.  
The two of them _lying together,_ their hands fighting for each other’s touch.

It was _desperate_ and _sweet_ , and _odd_ , and _beautiful_.

After that night when they had _slept_ , and _only slept_ , together, things improved. Anne started to feel comfortable again, but Athos, on the contrary, had become more distracted and nervous, Something which his wife did not like at all. Anne knew him well enough to know something was bothering him, so she decided to investigate his several activities, not sure what she really was looking for.

“Elodie” Anne called one evening, assured by the fact that her husband was still at the office, stuck with an important meeting “ _I need your help_.”  
“How can I help you, Mrs?” the girl replied anxiously, surprised to be reached by such an unexpected request.  
“My husband thinks he can hide things from me” Anne murmured biting her lips, calmly “Some money disappeared, and with _some money_ , I need _an incredible amount of money_. Around two million.”  
“Do you have any idea…?”  
“He _paid_ an intern” there was _disgust_ in her voice, _hatred_ towards the girl whose name she was avoiding, “ _He paid that amount of money to a no-one_.”  
“Maybe she knows something.”  
Mrs d’Athos smirked, “ _I thought the deal was that you would have been on my side, Elodie._ ”  
“I am” the girl confirmed, “You already _suspect_ something.”  
“ _Yes_ ” saying that word out aloud was making Anne feel sick, _“He left for three days once, and felt terribly ashamed after. He was so **sorry**_ ” Anne hissed that last word with a _rage_ Elodie had never seen before. _“I’m not an idiot_.”  
“I will verify whether your suspicion has fundament then.”  
“Thank you.”

The following days Anne waited with little patience, forcing herself to repress the _disgust_ she felt regarding the whole thing. Then eventually Elodie passed her an envelope, leaving her time alone to elaborate the information inside.

 _It took her ages to finally be in the state of mind apt to face her husband._  
Eventually, she reached his studio. Athos was reading some paper fully focused, and she waited a moment before jumping into that room, slamming the door behind her.

“ _She is not even pregnant, Olive_ r” she cried throwing papers in his direction.  
“ ** _What_**?” Athos asked confused, with a slight of _terror_ in his voice.  
“ _Check the next time, your irresponsibility cost us two million._ ”  
“What are you talking about?”  
“ ** _Sylvie_** ” she hissed, waiting for his astonished look, a desperate sadness in his eyes “ _Yes, I know_. The next time you want to pay one of your mistresses to disappear with your illegitimate child be sure she’s really pregnant at least, and possibly force her to do a paternity test.”   
“ _You’re angry_ ,” he said with hesitation as he was collecting the papers and verifying the content inside them. Sylvie was not pregnant and a wave of relief hit him,  
“ _Of course I’m angry_ ” Anne cried, watching her husband as he was standing up and moving towards her clumsily “ _You’ve put at risk our money and our public image because you couldn’t control yourself.”_  
“I see, you’re angry about the money.”  
“Of course I’m angry about the money.”  
“Just that?” he asked with a small smirk “ _Nothing more?_ ”  
“What do you mean?”  
“I cheated on you.”

Those words hurt her deeply, they were a knife burying inside her and Anne knew she could not allow him to have such power over her.

And yet somehow she already had,

“ _No you didn’t, Oliver. You are free to do as you please_.”  
“ _I’m not free. And I cheated on you_.”  
“ _Stop saying that_!”

Her voice trembled, overwhelmed. She hated him for that **_boldness_** , if one thing had always been clear in their marriage, was that **_honestly_** and **_true feelings_** were forbidden.

_Athos was breaking that fundamental rule. Again._

“ _I am sorry about that._ ”  
“ _ **Screw you** , Athos_.”  
“ _Anne_ …”

_His voice sounded like a lament, a plea._  
_Hers was full of rage._

“You already cleaned your conscience, _didn’t you_? _What happened to Sazarin is your doing._ ”

There was no hesitation in her voice, she simply _knew_.

“You had no right to do that, Oliver. **_None_** ”  
“ _He hurt you_.”  
“ _It’s **not** your business_!”

 _How could he even think to have the right to interfere with her late_ life.

“ _I love you_ ” the words hit her, damaging her ability to reply properly “ _I can’t stop thinking about…_ ”  
“I don’t want complications.”  
“ _I want you_.”

There was a further second of uncertainty, but it did not last long.

Anne shook her head, keeping some tears from falling, before pulling her husband clumsily to force him into a messy, angry kiss, her arms wrapped around his neck.

She was mad at him, she needed to scream and insult him, she needed to hurt him, but somehow Anne felt also the urgency to taste him again. She wanted to devour that man, her mouth and her tongue pressing and urging their presence on him. She was starving, eager to finally have him. His hands consequently burying in her hair, enjoying her moans, finding roam all over her, uncertain of what to do but willing to continue the pursuit.

“Anne…”  
“Do you realise that if ** _I_** …” she gasped trembling, shaking in both fear and excitement “If **_we_** decide to try seriously, you have to stop sleeping around.”  
Oliver smirked, in a silent laugh “ _I already stopped_ ”  
“Why?”  
The shock in his wife’s voice left him almost speechless, _how could that not be plenty obvious?_ “Because _I want to be with you, Anne_ ” he was almost begging her “That’s why I paid her. I wanted Sylvie out of our lives because _I had chosen you_.”  
“Ok”  
“Ok”  
“And now?”

There was hesitation in his voice, a hesitation that made Anne smile. She leaned forward _again_ , kissing him _again_ , fiercely, forcing him to walk backwards, positioning him against the cold wall.

“ ** _Now you fuck your wife_**.”


End file.
